J.K. Simmons's most visible credit to date is the scenery-chomping role as J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. But in The Music Never Stopped, (now out on DVD) a deeply rewarding film about music therapy, family, and the Summer of Love generation, Simmons shines in his first lead film role as the uptight father of an amnesiac hippie.

In one of the rarest rating periods ever, several on the staff could successfully argue for any of the Top 30 choices as a potential number one. While not all classics, they remain the consistent cream of 2009's crop.

Certainly, the multi-millionaire boy's club represented here is heavy on the dramatics and light on the more 'amusing' fare. But if you really give this list a meaningful perusal you'll see a few genre and jokester surprises along the way.